Keith Pompey

Inquirer Staff Writer

So what's it going to take to get the Houston Rockets' Tracy McGrady and his $23 million expiring contract?

It's going to take a deal involving, as its main piece, 76ers swingman Andre Iguodala.

According to a source close to the situation, the Houston Rockets have said they would only consider shipping McGrady to Philly if the Sixers "knocked the Rockets over" with the amount of talent they included in the deal.

This source said the Rockets have made it clear they will not -- in any way -- consider trading McGrady to the Sixers for power forward Elton Brand ($14-15 million this year, 3 years left after this one) and center Samuel Dalembert ($12 million, one year left after this one). According to this source, the Sixers are trying very hard to unload Dalembert (not a surprise) and Brand (not a huge surprise, either).

The problem is not many NBA teams are willing to take on money right now. This source named only three NBA teams possibly willing (Houston, Dallas, and Cleveland).

According to this source, the Rockets have expressed interest in a deal involving Iguodala, but he must be paired with better, younger talent than Dalembert. (Read: a deal involving possibly Lou Williams, Thaddeus Young, Marreese Speights, etc.).

Again, the Rockets are willing to take on money, but it'd have to be a special package and a 3rd team might even need to be involved. This source said this would be the kind of deal where both teams needed approval from ownership because of the amount of money and players involved.

The source also said that the Rockets and Sixers have not talked in "more than a week", making a deal unlikely, but said any deal involving Iguodala "has a chance."

So there's the latest on the NBA's most talked about trading chip: Tracy McGrady.

The problem with the Sixers making a deal involving Iguodala and young talent is that they'd be getting rid of some good young guys and remain with Brand and Dalembert, which is sort of the opposite of the point of making such a trade.

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